BLANTYRE-In a bid to reduce operating expenses incurred by minibuses and buses owners, the Tonse Alliance administration has banned call boys from collecting touting fees and their services have been terminated forthwith.
Minister of Information Gospel Kazako has disclosed this on Sunday in Blantyre during a media briefing organized in liaison with the Roads Fund Administration (RA).
This comes after MOAM threated to take to the streets to force government to consider slashing the toll gate fees.
According to Kazako, the collection of road tolls will start this Monday as earlier planned.
“We met MOAM two days ago and have resolved that the K3,400 toll is intact. We have terminated payments minibuses and buses make to call boys and call boys’ ring leaders (‘Mwini mgodi’) with immediate effect so that they can reduce their operating expenses enabling them to pay the road fees.
“The ‘Mwini mgodi’ have no space in the laws of Malawi and have no mandate to collect any fees from operators,” Kazako disclosed.
He went on to say that Government intervened on the issue of unregistered taxis who are not allowed to take passengers saying they will no longer be allowed to operate.
“Call boys will no longer be allowed to collect touting fees with immediate effect.”
Kazako added, “those found contravening the laws will be dealt with by the Ministry of Homeland Security which has been tasked to ensure all measures put in place are being enforced.”
It is yet to be seen whether the stay away by Minibus operators will take place tomorrow or not.
